Rise to Ascention, Fall from Godhood
by Dazuro
Summary: A rather unusual depiction of the origin of the space pirates, ki-hunters and chozo. The uprising of the enslaved Zebesian Bug-People against their cruel Chozo masters.
1. Prologue

Chapter 1: The First Attempt

Jetnal threw down his pick in anger and rushed towards Lt. Harkal. Harkal raised his cannon and glared. "You don't want to do this, kid. Pick up your tool and continue working, or face disintegration."

"I'd rather DIE than continue working for YOU!" Jetnal punched the air for effect.

"So be it. According to regulations, you have five seconds to comply with orders. I suggest you rethink your plan."

"Five-four-three-two-one, eh? There. Go ahead, shoot me. I dare you."

Harkal leveled his gun, but didn't fire. "What's going on here? Why so desparate for death?"

"Desparate for release of any sort, you little son of a--"

Suddenly Auroc's pick slammed down on top of Jetnal's head from behind. His outer skull shattered, spewing cerebral matter and fluids everywhere. Auroc shrugged. "I feared he would irritate you to the point that you would harm us as well."

Harkal blinked and turned to face Auroc. "Er... Don't do that again. It's messy, and against protocol. But I won't harm you, you just made my job easier."

Auroc bowed and returned to work. Murphy looked at him and cocked his head. "What'd ya do that for? Leave it to the guys with the guns!"

"I figure if I do things like that, I'll win favor with the staff... win trust. Then they won't expect it when I... strike." He emphasized 'strike' with an unusually strong swing of his pick, sending shards of the boulder flying everywhere.

"When you strike?" Both bug-people were now picking regularly while talking to keep Harkal from coming over.

"Haven't you heard? I'm organizing a rebellion. Jetnal was part of the plan. He offered to sacrifice himself to help our cause. I plan to get trusted enough to be issued a Commando Suit... Then, no one can stop us. We'll have numbers AND weapons."

Murphy's arm went limp. "That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of!"

"Would you prefer we spend our whole lives in this godforsaken place?"

A lightly-armored chozo ran into the control room. "Overseer, I must suggest hiring more personnel as guards. We just had an attempted uprising."

Ki'Tchek winced and apprehensively turned to face the scout, then the supervisor. "Uh... An uprising?"

The supervisor chuckled dryly. "I'm never wrong, am I? I wish that weren't true..."

"Yes, Overseer, an uprising. One of the bug-people attacked a Commando, but another one took him out with a pickaxe."

"Why didn't the Commando do anything?"

"I don't know, but that's hardly a high-priority subject."

Overseer Ki'Tchek nodded. "First off...Miner 24005, codename Auroc. He should be..rewarded." He turned on the Public Announcement system. "Unit number Two-four-double-oh-five, report to the command center immediately for a promotion."

The PA blared. "I Repeat! Two-four-double-oh-five, get in here for a promotion!"

Auroc blinked. "Already? That was fast. Well, seeya, Murph!" He dropped his pick and scurried off. 


	2. The First Attempt

Chapter 2: Betrayal

Auroc arrived at Command Center Delta with a cheery expression hiding his dark intentions. He skipped up the stairs quickly, and slammed open the door. Grinning--or at least approximating a grin with his bipartite mandible structure--he greeted the Overseer clumsily. Standing beside the overseer was Harkal.

Lt. Harkal quickly raised his gun and blasted a hole through Auroc's chest. The carapace was instantly ruptured by the massive plasma blast, spewing his innards across the tiled floor.

"Did you really think we didn't monitor your conversations, you rebellious little bastard?"

Auroc shuddered. "So..you birdbrains aren't such idiots...after all... Well... there are.  
more...of my kind...so..." His body collapsed in a heap and shuddered again. Fluids and organs spilled out. "...damn..you.." He uttered a single last curse, gurgled twice, and was still forevermore.

The PA blared again. "Attention all miners of Mining Camp Delta! We've just executed the Rebellion leader. If anyone else is even SPECULATED to be a part of this rebellion, you will be punished SEVERELY. Loyalty above all else is a requirement for life here!"

Murphy shuddered. 'I knew he didn't have a chance... if only I'd warned him... nah, he would never have listened...'

Another Commando walked up to him. "Yo, Five-seven-double-oh-three."

"That's me. Whatcha need, Sir?"

"You're being relocated. Your proximity to Auroc worries Overseer."

"I tried to talk him out of it. I swear, I'm not part of--"

The Commando flipped a trigger on his gunarm and a massive energy blade extended. He brought the blade to Murphy's neck. "You're being relocated, you worthless maggot! Follow our goddamned orders!" He smacked Murphy in the face with his free hand, and kicked him for good measure. "Hut! Follow me!"

Murphy fumed and grabbed his axe. "I mean no disrespec--no, screw it!" He winced and prayed,  
then swung. Three seconds later he found himself running like hell--running from the headless Commando that would get him executed for sure.

"Did you see that! 57003 just took out a Commando! Harkal, get down there and finish him!"

"Yes, my lord." Harkal activated his dash jets and took off. "Bastard..."

Murphy continued running until his joints ached so bad he was forced to stop. He curled up and rolled down a nearby hill, into a relatively hidden oasis in the middle of the dry desert. Landing on the shore of the lake, he discovered several bug-people camping at the edges.

"Wha..what are you doing here?" one of them queried.

Murphy blinked and poked her to make sure she was real. "..other..refugees?"

"Yes. I am 00401, call me Sarala. This is 32019, Miikha. And this is 90192, Tikani. We are followers of Lord Auroc."

"Auroc is dead, Sarala. He worked in my sector.. They thought I was with him, and I got accused of being a revolutionary.. I killed a Commando... so here I am..."

"Killed a Commando! Wow!" shouted Tikani. He was a small figure, probably rather young. "That's so cool!"

Miikha stood up. "Who are you, traveler?"

"I am 57003... Murphy." He sat down at the water's edge. "Glad I remembered where this place was."

Harkal jetted across the terraina, following the trail of blood he picked up. "Judging from this trail, I'd say his leg was hurt and bleeding.. So he probably found somewhere to hide..."

He shot up and activated his infrared scanners. The Commando turned in all directions, searching everywhere for any sign of life. Finally in a small bush he found a huddle of warm bodies...

"Bingo." He sneered and jetted towards the oasis.

Murphy stood and stretched. "I'd best get going. They're no doubt hunting for me. I'm endangering you by--"

A cold voice from outside cut him off. "Why, hello there."

Murphy froze. "Oh.. shit." He whirled to see Lt. Harkal, energy blade extended, looming over the group. "RUN!"

Tikani promptly fainted and Miikha dropped to his knees and begged. Murphy and Sarala, however,  
stood their ground.

Sarala spoke first. "Harkal. Please, listen to me."

"I have orders to exterminate 57003 and anyone else associated with him. Do not--"

"Please, Lieutenant. Think about what you're doing. You've betrayed your own species!"

"All I'm doing is saving MY OWN HIDE!" He punctuated this statement by slashing at Sarala. The blade nicked her upper left arm, gouging deep into the chiton. She screamed in agony and backed up.

Murphy stood tall. "Harkal, she's right. If the Commandos helped us, we could overthrow the Chozo."

"Again, SURVIVAL OF THE GODDAMNED FITTEST!" he bellowed, slashing at Murphy. He nimbly dodged the slash and backed up.

"Calm down! We have to work together. We can beat--"

"If we were equal to them, we wouldn't be enslaved. It is our destiny. Give up." He glared and disabled the blade. He punched another button and began charging his grenade launcher.

Murphy rushed at him and delivered a swift punch to Harkal's chest with both fists at once. Harkal shrunk back and slammed his arm onto the ground. The impact detonated the grenade, completely eradicating his gun and siniging him badly. Murphy left back just in time and delivered a powerful kick to his enemy's head as he tried to rise. He wiped the blood off his exoskeleton and prepared to attack again, but his foe didn't rise.

Murphy chuckled dryly. "Hmph! When will you ever learn that--"

Suddenly a plasma shot blasted right through Murphy's right arm. The joint was incinerated and his entire lower arm dropped off. He fell to the ground in pain, as blood poured down the slope.

"Learn what? That we will always beat a lesser opponent?" Harkal rose and aimed his auxillary pistol at Murphy's head.

Murphy winced and slowly rose, holding his stub with his other arm. "You'll regret that, you piece of shit!" He quickly released his other arm and snatched the pistol. "Death is too good for you, but I have no better means of punishment available." He leveled the gun on Harkal's face.  
"Any last words?"

Harkal bowed his head and nodded. "Yes.. My last words: REQUESTING BACKUP! 57003 HAS GONE BERSERK AND IS ARMED! He's wounded! All available personnel to Sector--AAAAGH!" He was quickly silenced by a shot through the neck. He hoarsely voiced the sector names over the PA, and then promptly fell into the lake.

"Sarala, Miikha, Tikani! Come on, we have to get out of here, NOW!"

Sarala nodded and followed Murphy as Miikha splashed Tikani with water to wake him. The two then dashed after the others. 


	3. Betrayal

Chapter 3: The Wrecked Ship

All across the camp, a small bug-person scampered about, relaying news of 'the heroic Lord Murphy' and his 'battle expertise, slaying three Commandos at once'. This news incited fury into many miners--why weren't they informed there was a rebellion? They wanted to help too! But tired from their work and lackin battle expertise, they could do nothing but strike.

And thus, many picks fell still and the camp was quieter than ever before in its history.

Murphy leapt into a ravine and ducked, pulling Sarala and Miikha in after him. "Where's Tikani!"

A few buster shots flew past his head. "Gah!" The three leapt up again and continued running.

"There! Blast him!" The lead Commando took aim and jetted after the group. The three refugees split and ran off in different directions as all four Commandos chased Murphy, firing sporadically.

Tikani awoke in a ditch. Wiping his eyes groggily and clearing blood out his mouth, he looked around.

"Murphy? Mistress? Daddy?" He stretched. "... Hello? Where'd everyone go!"

Sarala stumbled over a bush and awakened a Sidehopper sleeping nearby. It hissed at her and leapt.

"Oh, hell.." She leapt to her feet and ran as fast as her weak old legs could carry her. "MURPHY!  
MIIKHA! HELP!" Whirling, she delivered a pitiful kick to the beast, then promptly fell over. "No.  
Please!"

Murphy stopped running. "Did I just hear a scream?" He turned and saw a sidehopper slashing voraciously at something. "SARALA!" He took off towards her and fired a few shots. The beast fled.

The Commandos lost track of their targets. One of them spoke. "Sarge, we ain't gonna find them like this. Besides, one of them's a cripple, one's an old lady, one's a little kid, and the other's a pacifist. Let's just leave them be. We're low on fuel and ammo by now, and ripe prey for the wildlife around here."

Sarge glared. "We have our orders, private!"

"Yes, but the wildlife--a pack of sidehoppers alone could take them out, you know."

"This 'cripple' KILLED Lieutenant Harkal, dammit! They're not to be underestimated. Slay them all!"

The Commando sighed. "Yes..sir." He activated his jets again and continued scouting.

Murph and Sarala ducked behind a fallen log as a Commando jetted past. "He's gone.. come on, Sar.  
This is a dangerous place for you to be. Let's get to Crateria. It's a safer place."

Sarala nodded. "Of course. But where'd Miikha and the kid go?"

Murphy pointed to a quivering bush. "Over there." He whistled, and they peeked out of the bush. "Get over here, you two."

Tikani squeaked. "Miikha saved me. I got lost and fell into a zoomer nest!"

Murphy nodded and pointed to a deep blue rock wall. "That's our destination. Once we reach Crateria we're out of range of their scanners, and we can start forming the rebellion party properly."

The four scampered over to the wall as quickly and silently as they could. They made it without incident,  
as the Commandos finally gave up and returned to base.

"Sire, the bug-people are not working."

Overseer grunted. "What? Why not?"

The advisor scratched his forehead a bit. "I don't know. I fear a revolt."

"Doubtful. Dispatch all available Commandos."

"Sire, we've lost contact with the four we sent out earlier; we've had three killed in the past few days. The Commandos just aren't working out. And they're growing nervous about the situation. We need better security."

"Were these events not all linked to a single bug-person?"

"Yes.. Yes, sire, they were."

Overseer grunted indignantly and pointed at a large starship. "In there, we keep the big guns. If this Murphy is truly such a problem.. eliminate him with no remorse. You will find our ultimate weapon. We must stop him at any cost."

"As you command, master."

The three surviving Commandos finally finished their trek back to Delta Command. Overseer greeted them with a verbal whipping and a deluge of threats.

"Sir, it's not our fault. These people are insane! Harkal's dead, and we ran out of fuel and ammunition. We had to return."

"Harkal's dead! Grr... Murphy has really gone too far. Well, I have a new briefing for you..."

Meanwhile, the advisor had finally reached the ship.

"Now then, what was it he wanted me to use?" He opened the door and stepped inside. "Hmm..."

He looked around. "Odd. This isn't Chozo architecture. I wonder where this ship came from."

The advisor walked down the halls, mesmerized by light patterns on mysterious computer monitors on the walls; giant floating nuclei in tubes, domelike work robots, and many other odd creations populated the deck. "This is.. surreal..."

He stretched and sat down for a second. The chair quickly fell back and a platform opened in the floor. "Wha--a passage?" He cautiously peered down and entered.

Murphy cautiously handed out picks to the other bug-people. "So, in order to set up a base, we'll need materials and space. So get to digging! Tunnel southwest and gather all metals you find. There's said to be an old Chozo lab around here--Turan or something like that--so let's try to build our base there."

The others nodded, grabbed their picks, and began digging away, searching for the lost laboratory.

The Chozo advisor continued his trek through the frigate's interior. "This place is absolutely amazing! This technology... those molecular superstructures... the robots... This ship must be thousands of years old, judging from the architexture and scans, but.. the technology surpasses anything even iwe/i had until mere decades ago..." He walked further down the hall.

A small buglike creature scurried out from the darkness. "Yes, yes, hello, you there, yes!" it chirped in an odd, rushed voice.

"Erm.. who might you be?" The advisor kneeled down.

"Hello-hello, bird! I am Tilk, master of, yes, master! Master of our masterful race! The race that is to be the masters of all other insect races! The race--"

The Chozo grunted. "Get to the point, before I smash you like the bug you are."

The insect squeaked and scampered backwards. "I--I apologize, sir. I am a ki-hunter! Tilk,  
master of the ki-hunters!"

"The what?"

"Never mind. Let it just be known, yes, that we are a race! A race that came here long ago, but was trapped! We live here in this ship we live in, you see, and--"

"Shut it, Tilk. I'm here on Overseer Ki'Tchek's orders to find a weapon. Do you know what it is?  
Or where it can be found?"

"Oh, yes, yes, sir, yes! I do indeed know!"

The chozo stepped closer and squatted in front of the ki-hunter. "Tell me where it is, then. Bring me to it."

The bug's eyes widened and it squeaked with fear. "I dare not, sir, I apologize but I cannot. The thing will eat me alive, like it ate my friends!"

"It's a living thing? The weapon?"

"No! Nono, unliving, yet undead! Archsage Antispa calls it Phantoon."

"I see. I am under orders to bring this Phantoon back to base, and kill a threat with it."

"There are far better, far safer, yes, far improved methods for achieving the same goal, sir! Why not just use guns, or something, or something?"

"He has evaded seven Commandos single-handedly, four of which were killed."

"Commandos? Ain't they the bug people with armor, the armored ones?"

"..Yes."

"You with the bug-people? Then we help ya! We're their allies!"

The chozo's eye began to twitch. "You are allies with our servants? They are not permitted to have allies."

"Er, did I say allies, sir? I mean, sir, enemies, of course, enemies, sir! Simple mis--"

The chozo swung at the thing, crushing its face in. "Bastards... So, the bug-people have help?"

Another ki-hunter scurried into Crateria. "I brought the supplies you wanted, I did, sir Murphy!"

Murphy whirled. "Ah, Antispa! Good to see you. Is Tilk with you?"

"No, sir, he.. I had to run... I am a coward, you see. The birds! They invaded our home!"

"What? The ship?"

"They've been using our ship to hold their genetic experiments, and killing us without cause, and committing other such atrocities, they are doing so!"

Murphy bowed his head. "How those things got to be the most respected race in the galaxy is beyond me. Does no one know of our plight on this planet?"

"No, sir, no they don't! The Zebes-planet is well-hidden, off most charts, rarely known, sir."

Murphy sighed. "I see. Then we'd best make this battle enough to put it on the maps."

The ki-hunter nodded, squeaked, and scampered off. "I'd best see if Tilk is alright, sir! Goodbye!" 


	4. The Wrecked Ship

Prologue: The Mining Camps

The morning sun gleamed off of a hunched figure's chitonous back. A voice called a greeting from the horizon, and he looked up. "Eh? Murphy? Yer late. Again." The man in question bowed his shiny head. "I know. I apologize. I had a runin with one of those blasted Space Dragons, you see, and--" The first bug-person cut him off with a threatening swing of his pickaxe. "Overseer does not care for excuses. Thank the stars he is occupied and did not see you come in. Grab a pick and get to work." The other bug-person nodded sorrowfully and raised his pick. Slowly, tediously, boredly, they picked away in tandem at the ore pile before them.

Meanwhile, in the watch tower of Mining Camp Delta, the Overseer of the camp was deep in a discussion with his supervisor.

"Sir, I mean no disrespect, but everything is under control here. I assure you." The robed chozo warrior pointed one clawed finger at a pair of intrepid bug-people hard at work. "The Zebesian Bug-People will not be a problem. Security is plenty tight, and I've issued Commando Battle Suits to our most elite guards."

The supervisor, donning a massive Chozo Power Suit, nodded. "Yes, I understand your contentment with the current state of events. But I must confess, I do not share this sentiment. You're overworking them. If they revolted--"

"They will not revolt. Everything is fine, my lord."

"I suppose I'm just overly worried. I have not seen any security holes. I will allow you to continue operations as-is... But any problems, and you assume full responsibility."

"Naturally, my lord. Thank you for your kindness and generosity."

Murphy shifted his pointed feet in the sand. "This is such bull."

Auroc turned to face him and shrugged. "What's wrong, Murph?"

"Well, all this work we're doing. And what for? Those goddamned birds are treating us like slaves!"

"Hate to break it to you, kid, but we ARE slaves."

"That's just wrong. We were a free people before they arrived. The Zebesian Bug-People, a proud and powerful race. Now we're just slaves to a bunch of birdbrains!"

"Murph, keep it down. Talk like that could--"

A plasma shot flew past Auroc's head. "Back to work, men!"

Murphy turned to the source of the blast. "Wha--Lt. Harkal. I apologize."

Covered from head-to-toe in glistening black armor, with a massive cannon replacing one arm, the Bug-Person known as Harkal was enlisted to Overseer Ki'tchek's elite guard unit. A massive being, his imposing presence struck fear even in his superior's, who feared that he might go out of control one day and rebel.

"You damned well better apologize, Smurfy! I don't want any more flak about Overseer. Or this camp in general. You know the rules! Survival of the fittest! Since the Chozo conquered our race, that means they are more fit, and thus superior to us! Hail the Chozo Empire!"

"Yes..sir..." Murphy lowered his head and raised his pick. Auroc did the same. Soon enough, the monotonous picking recommenced. Hours passed with nothing happening at all; nothing breaking the tedium. Until Harkal discovered that the miner Jetnal was slacking as well. 


	5. Spectral Hunter

Chapter 4: Spectral Hunter

"Hey, Murphy. Check this out." Tikala handed his new friend a large .. thing, shaped like a crab claw. "I stole this from the chozo before we left. They... well, actually, they stole it from us first... well, not US, but, you get the picture. It's a special gun, designed to blend in with our exoskeletons enough that the birds wouldn't notice it.. they did. But, that's not the point. Daddy's pretty good with this kind of thing.. he might be able to..."

Miikha stepped closer and cut him off. "Pardon his rantings. Let me get to the point: if I could salvage some parts from the computers here, I might be able to attach this in place of your damaged hand. They were designed to replace the hand anyway..."

Murphy's eyes brightened at the concept. "Is that safe? Do you at least have anasthetic?"

"I was a biotechnician before the Chozo showed up. I can do it..."

Murphy's eyes narrowed, this time. "You didn't answer my other question."

Miikha chuckled nervously. "Uh, kind of..."

"I don't like the way you said that.. but I guess it's better than having only one hand..."

---

"Tilk? Where are ya?"

Silence. Antispa nervously looked around the ship. "Tiiiilk?"

A trail of blood caught his attention. "That's .. that's not the color of ki blood. And that wasn't there when I left. What happened while I was gone..?"

He followed the trail down into a dark passageway. A crushed ki-hunter, barely recognizable, lay prone on the floor. "Tilk.. oh, shit, please don't tell me that's Tilk..." Antispa continued following the trail, his twin hearts pounding crazily.

An unearthly growl emanated from the end of the passageway. Antispa froze in place. His eyes shifted about, searching for the source of the noise.

Slowly, a large shadow moved closer, as he slowly backed away. "Oh no.. please, no.. who let that thing out!.. no...!" He quickly whirled and took flight, as Phantoon roared loudly and dashed from the shadows. It emitted another screech and whipped its tentacles towards the ki-hunter. He dodged quickly to the side, flew up through the trap door to the passageway, and slammed the hatch shut. Phantoon smashed against it with a squishy thud, and Antispa breathed a sigh of relief. However, it was a short-lived relief.

Suddenly, a dark shadow appeared right behind him. Phantoon slowly phased into existence. His single eye stared through his prey, and he began to drool. 

This creature would make a fine second course. His tentacles slowly made their way towards Antispa.

The ki-hunter sensed danger and jetted forward, whirling and raising his claws defensively. "Oh, no you don't!" Muttering a curse in his native language, he fluttered backwards, spewing forth volleys of acidic fluid towards the spectral predator from his tube-like snout. He dodged sideways as a sizzling bolt of ectoplasmic energy shot from Phantoon's eye, and quickly responded with more of his defensive goop. Suddenly, he was trapped, backed against the exit door. "Oh shit.. oh, shit.. no, come on.." He pounded on the control pad's number keys, but his panic impaired his coordination, and he repeatedly botched the combination. The drooling Phantoon inched its way closer, preparing another volley of energy bolts with which to finish off his prey. He lunged, firing off a ring of said bolts. 

Finally, fatefully, thankfully, the door slid open and Antispa toppled backwards through it, uttering a prayer he believed would be his final words--until the door slammed shut and Phantoon smacked against it again. 

The creature growled, phased back through the trap door, and returned to pick for scraps remaining off his previous victim--a particularly unlucky Chozo advisor. 


End file.
